Oscar gassett and iseael fisher



(No Model?) '0..GASSETT &'I. FISHER.

Circuit Controlling Apparatus `for VRailway Switch Y Signal.

alqelnted Sept. 2|, 1880..

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"-PEN. PHOTWIJTHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

Nirnn- STATES PATENT trice.

VOSCAR GASSEIT AND ISRAEL FISHER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS TO THE 'UNION ELECTRIC SIGNAL COMPANY.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-SWITCH SIGNALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofiLetters Patent No. 232,344, dated September 21, 1880.

i Application filed March B. 1880. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that we, OSCAR GASSETT and ISRAEL FISHER, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of l\Iassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Circuit'ControllinApparatus for Railway-Switch Signals, ot' which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Our invention relates to a circuit-controlling` apparatus for operating electric switch-signals for railways; and it consists partly in using a strong and tight inclosing case or box, in

Vwhich the circuitchanging device is placed and kept protected from the effects of the weather and tampering of unauthorized persons, the said box being adapted to be secured to one of the usual sleepers on which the movable switch-rails slide.

The invention also consists in the employment, with insulated metal plates and movable contact-fingers to electrically connect the said plates, of a shifting device (shown as a rod provided with a head to rest against one ofthe movable switch-rails and a strong spring to press the said rod toward the said rail, the said spring bein g compressed while the switchrails are in line with the main track, and the rod then held back in its normal position out of engagement with, and thus preventing the 3o jarring of passing trains from affecting the circuit-chan ging device; but when the switchrail is moved the said spring, in expanding, causes the rod to follow the rail a short distance, and in such movement to operate the circuit-changing device to set the signal.

The arm is held in its normal position with one set of contact-fm gers connecting their corresponding plates by a light spring, which is overcome by the stronger spring acting on the rod or shifting device before mentioned while the switch f rails are moved from the main line, during which time the other set of contact-fingers are held in position to connect their corresponding plates.

As herein shown, the first-mentioned set of spring-iingers close the circuit through the signal electro-magnet, which then holds the signal'in the position indicating safety, while the second set of spring-nn gers close a shunt when the switch-rails are moved from the main line, the said shunt shortcircuitin g and dem agnetizing the signal electro-magnet to set the signal to danger.

The apparatus of the present invention will be described as used in connection with a blocksignal operated by a constant electric current in a closed circuit consisting, mainly, ot' the rails ot' the track; but it is obvious that it may be used with any signal in use which is operated by opening or closing. a circuit, or both, as all these operations are performed.

Figure l is a plan view ot' a circuitcontrolling apparatus embodying our invention, the t-op of the case being removed; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3, a diagram, showing the apparatus connected in circuit; and Fig. L a modiiication to be referred to.

The inclosing-case is shown as a strong box, a., which may be of cast-iron ot' convenient size, and provided with suitable lugs a', to enable it to be securely fastened to the sleeper, as by screws or bolts.. The cover bis attached by screws b', and a layer, c, of india-rubber or other suitable material, is placed between the cover and box, to forni a perfectly-tight joint, so that no moisture can enter.

At a convenient place (shown as the side of the box away from the rail) is placed a strong hood, d, beneath which the wires are led, as shown by the dotted line e, to 'suitable holes c, through which the said wires are introduced to the case, where they are connected by suitable binding-screwsj" g It to the metal contact-plates fg h, screwed upon a bed, i, of insulating material, tightly iitted in the bottom of the case a.. The holes c are counterbored, as shown at e2, to receive any suitable packing material to make a tightjoint.

An arm, k, free to oscillate on an axle, Z, supported in the sides ot' the case a., carries upon each end an electrical connector, (shown as a set of metallic spring-ngersm and n,)to connect the metallic plates at the opposite sides ot' the box, the said spring-fingers being insulated from the arm 7c by blocks o, vof hard rubber or other suitable material.

The arm 7c is normally held, as shown in full lines, Fig. 2, with the spring-fingers on forming connection between the plates j" and gby a spring, p.

`rlwo strong pins, q, connected with the arm k, extend upward on opposite sides of the shift- IOO 2' esas-m ing device,\(shown as a rod, 'r,) in proper position to be engaged by a projection on the end of said rod, (herein shown as a nut, 3,) the position of which may be readily adjusted, the said nut being retained in desired position by a check-nut, s.

The rod r, provided at its outer end with a suitable head, i, to rest against one of the movable switch-rails t, passes out through a tube, u, inserted in the side ofthe case a, and is pressed toward the rail by a strong spring, n, which acts against a collar, w, on the rod r, the other end of the spring resting against a shoulder, m, which also serves as a guide for the rod r. A sleeve, y, in the outer end of the tube u, serves as a guide for the rod r, and also forms a stop for the collar w to limit the outward movement of the rod r.

The sleeve y and shoulder nr, besidesjbrming a guide for the rod i", also its w closely as to make practically an air-tight passage for the said rod.

Instead of the rod r the shifting device for the circuit-chan gin g arm 7c might, as shown in Fig. 4, consist of an arm or bent lever, r2, attached to and adapted to rotate a shaft, r3, extended into the case a, through an air-tight bearing in the said case, where it is provided with an arm, r4, and spring' o2, to actuate it when the rail is moved.

Any suitable connection may be used to transmit the movement to the circuit-changing arm 7c, the essential feature of this part ofthe invention being that the movement is transmitted from the rail to the circuit-changer by a shittingdevice, which enters the case through a tight guide or bearing.

As shown, a cam, W, may be used to engage one of the pins q to shift the circuit-changer; but it is obvious that a suitable cam might be used to engage the end of the arm 7c to rock the said arm.

As shown in Fig. 4, the spring p should be at the opposite end of the arm k to the one shown in the other figures, and the plates fh would normally be connected by the springfingers n, the circuit-connection heilig made to correspond.

The operation is as follows: The case a is secured to a sleeper, near the movable end of either one of the switch-rails, as shown at a, Fig. 3, on the side from which the rail moves, in such proximity to the said rail that when it is in normal position in line with the main track the rod r is pressed into the case a, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the spring o then yielding. When in this position the nut s is removed a considerable distance from the pins q, so that the jarring of the shifting-rod r from passing trains does not affect the lever 7c of the circuit-changing device, as in the usual circuit-changers controlled by the switch-rail. When the switch is shifted the spring u causes the rod r to follow the rail 'w in its movement in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and the nut s strikes the pins q and tilts the arm lo, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the spring p then yielding, and the spring-fingers m are raised and those marked u depressed, thus breaking the electric connection between the plates fg and establishing it between the plates f la.

1t is obvious that instead of using three plates, f g h, it might, in some cases, be desirav ble to divide the plate f, thus making four plates; or, if needed, any desired number of connections from side to side of the case a might be made and broken by themovement of the arm k,- also, that the length of movement of the rod r might be increased or the case placed nearer the pivotal end of the switch-rails, so that acircuit betweenj' and h would be established only when the rails were in line-with the side or branch track, the said circuitcon trolling a signal to indicate such condition; also, that the rod r. spring o, and nut s, or equivalent, might be used with a sliding circuit-changing device instead of the pivoted one, the essential feature of this partof our invention being that the rod r is the only mechanism needed to transmit a movement from the rail to the circuit-closer, thus enabling theinstrument to be made very com pact, so that it may be placed on the sleeper, if necessary, between the rails, a

and that the head s is out of engagement with the said device when the rails are in line with the main track, so that thejarring of passing trains does not affect the contact-points of the circuit-closer.

In Fig. 3 one arrangemel'it of the circuit of a block-section is shown; but We do not claim this arrangement, as it will form the subject of another application.

The rails ofthe track have metallic continuity, except at certain points to be specified, and the opposite rails are insulated from one another. One pole of the battery B is connected, by a wire, 2, with the rail r3, which affords a con- IOO tinuous circuit between the insulating-points m2, the siding being insulated at the proper points. At the other end of the section the rail r3 is connected by the Wire 3 with one end of the coil ofthe signal electro-magnet M, the other end of which is connected by wire 4 to rail r4, continuous to an insulating-point, x2, near the switch, where it is connected by Wire 5 with the plate g. The plate fis connected by a wire, 6, with the rail T5, extending from the rail r4 to the end of the section, and the rail rs is connected by wire 7 with the other pole of the battery B.

When the plates j' g are connected by the spring-fingers m, the circuit just described is completely closed and the electro-magnet M magnetized. A wire, 8, connects the plate h with the rail r3, and when the 1in gers u connect the plates f h the circuit is through wire 2, rail r3, wire 8, metal pieces h nf, wire 6, rail T5, and Wire 7, and the electro-magnet M is demagnetized.

rlhe signal may be of any `usual construction, and its controlling electro magnet or magnets connected in any desired way with the metal plates of the switch-circuit-controllin g apparatus herein described.

IIO

has been iuclosed in a tight case similar to that herein shown, but not adapted to be fastened to the sleeper beside the rail, the said circuit-closer being operated by shifting mechanism entirely differenti'rom that herein shown; but we are not aware of any in which the parts are so arranged that they may` be inclosed in substantially air and water tight case of suitable size and shape to be attached to one of the usual sleepers without any extension thereof, and to be placed within the rails if desired or demanded by the peculiar construction of the switch.

`The case a., constructed as herein described, may be immersed in water without any moisture entering.

l. In a circuit-controlling apparatus for railwayswitch signals, a circuitehanging device and a tight, strong, inclosing-case therefor, suitably shaped and provided with means to enable it to be readily attached to the usual sleeper beside or between the switch-rails, combined with a spring-actuated shifting device to operate the circuit-changing device extended out from the said case through a tight guide or bearing and adapted to be en` gaged and moved bythe switch-rail, substantially as described. Y

2. ln a circuit-controlling apparatus for railway-switch signals operated by a closed circuit, a circuitchanging device held in normal position hy a spring to close the main circuit,

combined with a spring-actuated shifting device tooperate the said circuit-changer adapted to be positively held out of engagement with the circuit-changin g device by the switch-rails when in line with the main track, and actuated by the said spring to engage and shift the circuit-changing device when the switch-rails are moved from the mainline rails, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

`3. In a circuit-controlling apparatus for railway-switches, insulated contact-plates, contact-fingers to connect them, and a pivoted arm to carry the said fingers provided with pins to move the said arm, combined with a rod controlled by the movable rail having a 'head adjustable longitudinally thereon to eugage the said pins and tilt the said arm, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a rod moved positively inonedirection by a movable rail and in the other direction by a spring, of the pivoted circuit-changer adapted to be engaged and tilted by the said rod to remove contactfingers on one side of its axis from, and those on the other side into, connection with correspondin g insulated plates, substai'itiallya's described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our osoAE GAssETT. ISRAEL ErsHEE.

Witnesses:

J os.P. LIVEEMOEE, N. E. G. WHITNEY. 

